How to change Oracle Database Name

In this topic we will see how can we change our database name using Oracle NID tool. Use the syntax bellow to change the Dtabase Name. Make sure you shutdown and start up in mount mode your oracle database before.

SQL> shu immediate
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> startup mount
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 1610612736 bytes
Fixed Size                  2077904 bytes
Variable Size             385878832 bytes
Database Buffers         1207959552 bytes
Redo Buffers               14696448 bytes
Database mounted.
SQL> exit

$ nid TARGET=SYS/Password DBNAME=NEWDB SETNAME=YES

DBNEWID: Release 11.2.0.4.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle and/or its affiliates.  All rights reserved.

Connected to database TEST (DBID=2127904120)

Connected to server version 11.2.0

Control Files in database:
    /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/control01.ctl
    /u01/oracle/flash_recovery_area/control02.ctl

Change database name of database TEST to NEWDB? (Y/[N]) => Y

Proceeding with operation
Changing database name from TEST to NEWDB
    Control File /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/control01.ctl - modified
    Control File /u01/oracle/flash_recovery_area/control02.ctl - modified

    Datafile /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/system01.db - wrote new name
    Datafile /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/sysaux01.db - wrote new name
    Datafile /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/undotbs01.db - wrote new name
    Datafile /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/users01.db - wrote new name
    Datafile /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/temp01.db - wrote new name
    Control File /uu1/oracle/oradata/ABUZERDB/control01.ctl - wrote new name
    Control File /u01/oracle/flash_recovery_area/control02.ctl/control02.ctl - wrote new name
    Instance shut down

Database name changed to NEWDB.
Modify parameter file and generate a new password file before restarting.
Succesfully changed database name.
DBNEWID - Completed succesfully.

2. Recreate the new password file. 

$ orapwd file=/u01/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/dbs/passwd.ora password=Password entries=5

3. Make sure that you drop any password files before or you will get some errors. Rename the init.ora file.

$ rename init.ora initDB.ora

4. Edit the initDB.ora parameters file. 

$ vi initDB.ora
# Change '<oracle_BASE>' to point to the oracle base (the one you specify at
# install time)

db_name='NEWDB'

5. Now start the database in nomount mode and alter the db_name parameter in the control file. 

$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.4.0 Production

Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

Connected to an idle instance.

SQL> startup nomount
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  417546240 bytes
Fixed Size                  2213936 bytes
Variable Size             289408976 bytes
Database Buffers          121634816 bytes
Redo Buffers                4288512 bytes
SQL> alter system set db_name=NEWDB scope=spfile;

System altered.

5. Shutdown the database and start it backup. 

 SQL> shutdown immediate;
ORA-01507: database not mounted


ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> startup;
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  417546240 bytes
Fixed Size                  2213936 bytes
Variable Size             268437456 bytes
Database Buffers          142606336 bytes
Redo Buffers                4288512 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened

6. Check the status and name of you database. 

SQL> select status from v$instance;

STATUS
------------
OPEN

SQL> select * from global_name;

GLOBAL_NAME
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWDB